5 wines for every wine-o on a budget

5 wines for every wine-o on a budget

If you’re anything like me, finding a good wine on a college student budget can be time and money consuming. Lucky for you, I’ve done lots of personal research. After many nights spent drowning my exam woes in a bottle, here are some wine picks I found that won’t break the bank but will still give you that feel good buzz.

Breakfast

Riesling is a white wine that ranges in taste from dry to super sweet with a variety of flavors like green apple, citrus and peach. These wines are acidic making them perfect for breakfast time. So, if mimosas and Bloody Mary’s at brunch time aren’t your thing, give Rieslings a try. The picture above is a personal favorite Riesling due to it’s crisp, yet semi-sweet taste. It’s the Crisp & Fruity flavor which comes in the blue bottle and can be found at Total Wine.

Bottom line: While I can’t necessarily condone drinking in the a.m., a Riesling’s taste and price ($7 – $14) would make most people believe in the age old saying: “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”

Photo by Alexis Paige

Lunch

For lunch, we’re taking a trip to your local bodega (Latin market) to pick up a bottle of Chapinha – a sweet, red table wine. A true wine-o always keeps a bottle of table wine handy because it goes with everything. Chapinha is native to Brazil and is great for coupling with anything from Hot Pockets to Ramen. This wine makes you feel classy, even when your food choices might not be.

Bottom line: Chapinha is a sweet and inexpensive wine ($5 – $10) that, according to my mommy, “sneaks up on your ass and has you ready for Netflix and Chill.”

*This wine also comes in white.

Dinner

Photo by Alexis Paige

Date night wouldn’t be complete without a good red wine to start (or end) the night. And Meiomi Pinot Noir is my go-to when it comes to dinner wines; it has a bold cherry flavor that is complemented with hints of cedar, raspberry, and strawberry. The added berries and cedar balances out the flavor, making it a medium-bodied red. In other words, sexy time wine.

Bottom line: Meiomi Pinot Noir ($18 – $25) is packed with berries and hints of smoked wood making it a complex, yet smooth red wine. It’s flavors may be complicated but your relationship status definitely doesn’t have to be.

Dessert

Photo by Alexis Paige

Who needs dessert when you can have a glass of wine? Oh, WAIT… I do. With Jam Jar, you can have your cake and eat it too. Jam Jar Shiraz is a full-bodied wine with hints of berries and a smooth, silky finish of dark chocolate undertones. This light and refreshing balance makes it a no-brainer for pairing with a huge slice of chocolate cake.

Bottom line: Jam Jar Shiraz is the perfect blend of chocolate, berry and spice great for pairing a glass with a nice dessert. And for $10.99, you may even indulge in the whole bottle because it’s just that amazeballs.

Travelers

Bonus round! I discovered Prima Mazzo: Gold Edition from a friend who lives in Texas last year, and my life hasn’t been the same. While you can only get this moscato at a local Texas supermarket, H-E-B, (Texas’ version of Publix) for $20, it’s crisp apple and vanilla flavor feels like you’re sipping bubbly from the gods. This wine is great for cheesecakes or drunken 3 a.m. McChickens. A few sips of this and ba da bop ba baaa – you’ll be loving it.

*This wine may cause delusions of grandeur but the watch definitely isn’t included.